Some 150 participants representing the agricultural and fishery sectors in the city will converge today, Oct. 19 for the Food Security Stakeholders’ Consultation intended to ensure sustainable food security in the city.

Organized by the City Government through the Office of the City Agriculturist and the Office of City Veterinarian, the event will be held at Rigodon in Patio Palmeras in Pasonanca. The event will also serve as a venue for the presentation of the food security plan for Zamboanga City in light of the numerous challenges besetting the city and the country.

Participants will include producers, fishermen, livestock growers, farmers, processors, traders, input providers, industry leaders as well as members from the City Council, representatives from the City Planning and Development Office and the City Finance Committee.

OIC City Agriculturist Carmencita Sanchez said representatives from at least 10 national government agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Trade and Industry, National Economic Development Authority, National Food Authority, National Irrigation Administration and several others involved in food security have also been invited to answer queries as well as provide inputs on issues and concerns that will be brought up during the day-long activity.

The morning session will be presentations on the current situation of various commodities or supplies to include rice, corn, high value crops, fish and livestock among others. The presentation of the food security plan for Zamboanga City will follow.

The afternoon session will have a workshop for participants who will be grouped according to sector where issues and concerns related to their sector will be tackled with resolutions to address the identified needs, according to Sanchez.